One of the horror genre's "most widely read critics" (Rue Morgue # 68), "an accomplished film journalist" (Comic Buyer's Guide #1535), and the award-winning author of Horror Films of the 1980s (2007), The Rock and Roll Film Encyclopedia (2007) and Horror Films of the 1970s (2002), John Kenneth Muir, presents his blog on film, television and nostalgia, named one of the Top 100 Film Studies Blog on the Net.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

One Step Beyond Book lands in softcover!

Hey everybody, my 2001 study and analysis of the 1959-1961 paranormal TV series, One Step Beyond (and its 1978 sequel,TheNext Step Beyond) has just been re-published in soft-back by McFarland.

The book actually boasts an illustration on the cover this time (and it's creepy too...). The book features the last interview with director John Newland, who crafted all 96 half-hour segments of OSB, as well as an episode guide of all the episodes. Special focus is granted to "The Sacred Mushroom," the notorious documentary episode which found Newland sampling hallucinogenic mushrooms to see if they could enhance psychic powers. Remember, this was 1960, well before the hippie movement...

What makes this book different than some I've written is that I analyze the series not only in terms of television production and themes, but also how closely the series adheres to established, academic paranormal lore (about subjects like automatic writing, rapping, poltergeists, bilocation, alien abduction and the like).

Anyway, the book gets a price reduction along with it's new format, so hopefully a new audience will find it. Dig that cover...

About John

award-winning author of 27 books including Horror Films FAQ (2013), Horror Films of the 1990s (2011), Horror Films of the 1980s (2007), TV Year (2007), The Rock and Roll Film Encyclopedia (2007), Mercy in Her Eyes: The Films of Mira Nair (2006),, Best in Show: The Films of Christopher Guest and Company (2004), The Unseen Force: The Films of Sam Raimi (2004), An Askew View: The Films of Kevin Smith (2002), The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film & Television (2004), Exploring Space:1999 (1997), An Analytical Guide to TV's Battlestar Galactica (1998), Terror Television (2001), Space:1999 - The Forsaken (2003) and Horror Films of the 1970s (2002).

What the Critics Say...

"...some of the best writing about the genre has been done by John Kenneth Muir. I am particularly grateful to him for the time and attention he's paid to things others have overlooked, under-appreciated and often written off. His is a fan's perspective first, but with a critic's eye to theme and underscore, to influence and pastiche..." - Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files, in the foreword to Horror Films FAQ (October 2013).

"Hands down, John Kenneth Muir is one of the finest critics and writers working today. His deep analysis of contemporary American culture is always illuminating and insightful. John's film writing and criticism is outstanding and a great place to start for any budding writer, but one should also examine his work on comic books, TV, and music. His weighty catalog of books and essays combined with his significant blog production places him at the top of pop culture writers. Johns work is essential in understanding the centrality of culture in modern society." - Professor Bob Batchelor, cultural historian and Executive Director of the James Pedas Communication Center at Thiel College (2014).

"...an independent film scholar, [Muir] explains film studies concepts in a language that is reader-friendly and engaging..." (The Hindu, 2007)"...Muir's genius lies in his giving context to the films..." (Choice, 2007)